The present invention is directed to a cover for an animal tank, or reptile tank, particularly to a cover which may be easily installed over the tank and easily removed therefrom and which in the installed position, is secured thereto so that it cannot be dislodged.
It is well known that tanks require covers, which, while permitting normal communication with the atmosphere, enclose the tanks so that the reptile or animals therein cannot lift or displace the same enabling escape or allowing children to inadvertently access or drop foreign objects into the tank. On the other hand, the cover must be easily removable so that the necessary access to the tank for feeding the animals or reptile or for cleaning the tank can be accomplished.
In my earlier patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,115, and copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 205,311 filed June 9, 1988, I showed covers for small animal tanks or for fish tanks. The tanks and the covers themselves were relatively small and therefore, the covers could be small. On the other hand, commercially available reptile tanks and large animal tanks are larger than those shown in the aforementioned patent or application and in fact, customarily range in size from 36 inches to 54 inches in length, although each conforms to a more or less standard width. Accordingly, retailers and pet shops, as well as manufacturers, must stock a plurality of different sized covers in order to have sufficient numbers fitting each of the various tank sizes. This presents a burden on both the manufacturer and the retailer.
A further problem arises when covers having a fixed size are made, in that the user often experiences difficulty in adapting the fixed size cover to the actual tank in use. No provision is made for minor adjustment to the cover to conform to off-sized tanks or even to the differences in manufacturing tolerances.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a cover for animals tanks and the like which satisfies the requirements indicated above. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cover which may be firmly secured to the tank against inadvertent removal and yet which can be easily released and removed for the necessary access to the tank.
The foregoing objects, together with other objects and advantages, will be apparent from the following disclosure of the present invention.